3 Essential supplements for vegans

If you’ve decided to choose a plant-based diet, you’ll know that having more greens on your plate is certainly good for you… but only if you’re getting enough of the nutrients vegetarians and vegans often need to supplement.

At Health Renewal, we offer a host of top-quality supplements including our very own brand, Renewal Institute. We’ve also got highly-skilled doctors that can help you create a nutraceutical “prescription” to ensure you get exactly what you need. Speaking of which, we’ve put together a list of the top five you should aim to get from your diet or supplement if you can’t.

Vitamin B12

Of course, we’d list vitamin B12 first. It’s a biggie for anyone who’s not eating animal products as it’s difficult to get enough of it from plant-based sources, especially if you’re deficient to start (which many people are) and need to “stock up” on high doses in order to replenish their supply. If you don’t get enough of this vital vitamin, you’ll going to feel fatigued, experience hair loss and will likely go on to develop anaemia and nerve damage. In short, not getting enough vitamin B12 is no fun and this is something even meat eaters struggle with. For a number of reasons, many people simply don’t absorb enough vitamin B12 and this is something that only gets worse as they get older.

While certain plant-based milks and nutritional yeasts are fortified with vitamin B12 the levels are pretty low and you’d have to a lot of them every day. This is why a supplement, such as Renewal Institute Multivitamin and Mineral, is a must. It contains a vitamin B complex that includes B12 plus a host of other vitamins and minerals that are essential to good health.

Vitamin K2

Many people haven’t heard of vitamin K let alone realise that it comes in two forms, K1 and K2. While they’re the underdog of the vitamin world, the K vitamins are vital as they play an important role in blood clotting, heart health and helping your body metabolise calcium.

As leafy vegetables like spinach and kale are good sources of K1, plant-based eaters don’t have to worry about too much about it. It’s vitamin K2 that’s the problem because the best food sources are meat, cheese and egg yolk. While you can also find vitamin K2 in certain fermented foods like kombucha and kimchi, you’d just have to consume them very regularly. Alternatively, you can pop a simple supplement like Renewal Institute Vitamin K2.

Zinc

When it comes to fending off the flu, vitamin C gets all the glory but everyone forgets about the Robin to its Batman and that’s zinc. Immune-boosting benefits aside, zinc also plays a role in wound healing, cell creation and our ability to break down carbohydrates. While you can find it in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and oats, they’re often bound to phytic acid, a compound that occurs naturally in these foods, but makes it difficult for our body to absorb. Also, much like with vitamin B12, our absorption rate diminishes as the years march on.

Ultimately, you can get the nutrition you need while eating a completely plant-based diet, but you have to be very careful about what you put on your plate. Also, things might get a little boring. Having to eat a side serving of kimchi or down a kombucha tea when you don’t enjoy anything fermented would take real commitment. This is why supplementation is the ideal solution and you’ll find some excellent options at Health Renewal. Together, we can help ensure you get what you need to feel great!